Switch-operating mechanism



(No Model.)

. 0.0. LOTT. I SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM. 'No. 514,759. I Patented Feb.13, 1894.

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UNITED STAT S PATENT firmer.

CHARLES C. LOTT, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

PECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,759, dated February13, 1894.

Application filed January 12, 1893- Serial No. 458,159- (No model.)

To all'whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. LOTT, of Houston, in the county of Harrisand State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Switch Mechanism,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in switch operating mechanism theimprovements being specially intended for street railways, although theymay be used upon any railways and in connection with any kind of rollingstock.

The object of my invention is to producea simple switch mechanism bywhich a switch may be changed quickly and positively from a movln g car.

To this end, my invention consists in certain features of constructionand combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described andclaimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming apart ofthis specification,

in which similar figures of reference indicate.

corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan of the switch and operating mechanism, onthe line 1--1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of the switchand its operating mechanism, the latter being shown applied to a car.Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section, on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4is a detail plan view of a modified form of the switch rail showing thehead members of the plates separated from the shank of the. rail; andFig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the lower end of theshifting arm and its guide wheel and contact sleeve.

The main track rails 10, which are of the usual kind, conneetinsubstantially the usual way with the branch or siding rails 11, and nearthe junction of one of the rails 10 and one of the rails 11, is pivoteda swinging switch rail 12, the rail being pivoted to one end of one ofthe track rails '10, as shown at 13, and its free end terminates in ahead 14, shaped like an arrow-head, so as to engage the shifting armsleeve when necessary, as

hereinafter described. This triangular or arrow-shaped head may be madesolid, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or separable, as shown in Fig. 4, inwhich case the two sides 15'of the head are of triangular shape and bothplates and rail are perforated, as shown in dotted lines at 16, toreceive fastening bolts by which the said parts may be held together.vThe head may be made up in any other convenient way withoutdepartingfrom the principle of my invention. The head is adapted to slide on awear plate 17, and between converging guide rails 18, the rails beingplaced so that they converge as they approach the arrow-head, as shownin Fig. 1 and the flanges of the head are near the bottom of the switchrail so that the flanges of the car wheels may pass over withouttouching them.

The shifting apparatus is carried on the platform 19 of a car 20, or maybe arranged in any convenient place upon a car. To support thismechanism a bracket 21 is arranged beneath the car, which may be of anysuitable shape, but which is preferably provided with parallel bars 22and 22 arranged one above the other, the upper bar22 being longer thanthe lower one 22*, as shown in Fig. 2.

Journaled in opposite sides of the bar 22, near its front end, andextending upward through holes in the platform, are shafts 23, which areheld tothe bar 22 by a journal box 24, and these shafts or rods areadapted to slide up and down in the platform and bracket. They havetreadles 25 at their upper ends, upon which the operator may step, andeach shaft or rod is provided at a point beneath the platform with acollar 26, beneath which is a spiral spring 27 which encircles the barand which by its upward pressure is adapted to hold the shaft in anelevated position.

Each shaft 23 is reduced at its lower end,

and to this lower end is attached a horizontally-extending plate 28, andat the free end of the plate is a depending bolt 29, having a shoulderor collar 30 to fit against the under side of the plate to which thebolt is held by suitable nuts. The bolt should be shouldered to receivethe nuts so that the latter will not bind but will permit the freemovement of lower portion of the arm 31 are inclosed by a contact sleeve33, which is held to the arm by a set screw 34, which projects into anannular recess 35, extending horizontally around the 5 vertical portionof the arm 31, and by this means the sleeve is held in place and is alsopermitted to turn freely on the arm.

The shafts 23 and their connected mechanism are arranged in pairs sothat one sleeve To 33 is adapted to engage one of the guide rails 18 andthe adjacent side of the head 14 of the switch rail, while the oppositesleeve is adapted to engage the other guide rail and the other side ofthe switch rail head. It will be seen 15 then, that as a car approachesa switch, it is only necessary to depress one of the rods or shafts 23in order to shift the switch. If a car is to run upon the main track theinner shaft 23 is depressed, and the sleeve 33 strikes :0 the guide rail18 and runs inward against the head 14, thus forcing the head outwardthrough a slot ll in the rail 11, which slot is made to receive it, andthe car will thus run smoothly along the main line.

2 By reference to Fig. 3, it will be noticed that the switch rail 12projects above the plate or head 14, so that the flange of the car wheelmay run smoothly over the head and upon the switch rail. If the car isto take the siding, the opposite shaft is depressed and the othercontact sleeve 33, striking the opposite guide rail 18, brings in theswitch rail head 14, thus opening the switch to the siding.

3 5 It will be understood that upon cars other than street cars, asuitable lever or other mechanism will be provided for depressing theshafts 23.

Having thus described my invention, I

4,0 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. Thecombination with the switch rail and track devices, of the verticallymovable spring cushioned rods for attachment to the 5 car and havinghorizontally swinging angle arms on their lower ends, each provided withan independently movable contact device to contact with the head of theswitch rail,substantially as set forth.

2. A switch operating device comprising a vertically movable springseated rod to depend from a car and provided on its lower end with ahorizontally swinging angle arm carrying a turning contact device,substantially as set forth.

3. A switch operating device comprising a vertically movable springseated rod to depend from a car and provided on its lower end with ahorizontally swinging angle arm, the vertical memberof which at itslower end is provided with a freely turning contact sleeve,substantially as set forth.

4. A switch operating device comprising a vertically movable springseated rod to depend from a car and provided on its lower end 55 with ahorizontally swinging angle arm, a contact wheel journaled on the lowerend of the angle arm and a freely turning contact sleeve also on thearm, substantially as set forth. 7:;

5. A switch operating device comprising the spring seated rod, thehorizontally extending plate 28 onthe lower end of the rod, the verticalbolt 29, the angle arm 31 turning freely on said bolt, the contactsleeve 33 and the contact wheel 32 on the vertical member of the saidangle arm, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a switch rail, of a car mechanism comprising theparallel vertical rods 23 having heads at their upper ends, supportingbracket 21, springs 27, and horizontally swingingaugle arms 31 connectedwith the lower ends of said rods and provided with wheels and freelyturning contact sleeves, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES C. LOTT. Witnesses:

W. C. CRANE, P. J. EVERSHADE.

